Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1887-10-13
our comfort, but things around the

your comfort, but things around tn'
house must be seen to. !"
There are certain facts and statistics
which 1 find it best to jot down IN pen
ell. / jotted some down during tht
first three hours Mr.. Bowser was under
nv care with that accident, and here
they are:
Looked at the ankle twenty-three
times. and each time solemnly assured
him it was no worse.
Bathed the ankle six times, although
there WAS not the slightest need OF
more than two applications.
Patted him on the head and assured
him he would live twenty-seven times.
Turned his pillow over fourteen
times. This also included assurin
him that his mishap would be men
toned in the papers, and that he would
probably be referred to as the Hon.
Bowser.
Made two sorts of Cruel, one sort of
soup, two sorts of tea. one sort OF lem
onade and assured him that in case the
limb mortified I'd have it amputated in
time to save his precious life.
Lied to him seven times. Had to do
it. Three different times when the
door-bel rang and l went to the door
| and fired tramps off the steps 1 had to
tell Mr.. Bowser that prominent citi-
zens had sent messengers up to ask
after his situation and to say that he
need worry about nothing.
When evening came Mr. Bowser had
slight fever, and he grew more pet
tish He wanted me to telegraph to
his brother in Japan, his sister in Cali
fornia. and to telephone the doctor.
He also wanted a lawyer to draw up II
will, neighbor to come in and see
about his life insurance, and he cried
several times as he thought of my
marrying again and taking my second
husband to spit tobacco-juice on his
grave. put in an awful night with
him. He heard cats and burglars and
forty other noises, and he refused to
90 to sleep for fear he'd die without
knowing it. At midnight, after 1 had
helped him turn over about twenty
times and had upset his pillow until
the case was worn threadbare, he
wanted me to telephone the doctor and
asked if Il sprained ankle ever struck
to the heart. [ rang up the central
and the following conversation seemed
to take place:
Doctor. Mr.. Bowser has grown
steadily worse since you left, and I
don't believe he can live an hour
longer. Yes, have done as you told
me. Oh, you knew he'd die befors
morning, Ell? Oh, yes. 1 shall be-
pretty we'll fixed for widow. About
six hacks, 1 guess. I'm no hand to
make spread at funeral. You
might"
''Mrs. Bowser!" yelled Mr.. Bowser
at the top of his voice, and when ran
into the bedroom he was sitting on
the edge of the bed, hair on end and
face pale as death.
What do you want, dear?"
Well, the poor man actually tainted
away in his nervousness, and when he
came to had to sit and hold his hands
while he caught catnaps. The swell.
ing was nearly gone from his ankle in
the morning, and he could dress him.
self and hobble about. He, however,
drew up his will, had two or three
mysterious conferences with parties he
sent for, and I saw him looking over
lot of photographs of monuments and
tombstones. l caught him weeping
once, and when l stroked the back OF
his neck and called him my poor, Grip
pied gazelle, he looked up in pitiful
way and said:
''Mrs. Bowser, it's awful hard to
have to die at my age"
That was Mr.. Bowser for the first two
days. On the third day he went down
town, and on the fourth he gave up his
cane. When he came home to dinner
L was on the lounge with teeth and
ears full of neuralgia
''Now what!' he roared out.
I'm dreadfully ill, Mr.. Bowser."
''Bosh! A little neuralgia Mrs.
Bowser, you've got no more sand than
a grasshopper. If We're as big baby
as you are I'd live on soothing syrup"
''But-but when you had nothing but
a sprained ankle, you-you-."
when l fell fourteen feet, Mrs.
Bowser. and cracked two ribs, upset
my liver, turned my right leg clear
around, knocked my elbow loose and
brought on brain fever L lay here with
out murmur or complaint, and you
know it! You are booby-a regular
BOBBY with No. Z feet. and I'll 90 back
down town for my dinner. ''-Detroit
Free Press.
The Poetic Either.